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Competition Terms & Conditions.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
Last updated: September 2026
These general terms apply to competitions and open submissions organised by The Atelier of Muses. Each competition may also have its own entry page containing specific categories, dates, submission limits, judging criteria and prizes. Those details form part of these terms.
Promoter: The Atelier of Muses, operated by Deana Hendry
Email: victoriah@theatelierofmuses.com
- Eligibility
Unless stated otherwise in the individual competition announcement:
• entrants must be aged 18 or over;
• international entries are welcome;
• employees, appointed judges and anyone directly involved in administering or judging the competition may not enter; and
• entrants must meet any additional eligibility requirements stated for the relevant category.
The Atelier may request reasonable evidence of age, identity, authorship or eligibility before awarding a prize.
- How to Enter
Entries must be submitted using the method stated in the individual competition announcement and received before the published closing date and time.
The announcement will explain:
• the opening and closing dates;
• available categories;
• the permitted number of entries;
• file and image requirements;
• any required credits or supporting information;
• the judging method; and
• the number and nature of available prizes.
Entries received late, submitted through the wrong channel or missing essential information may not be accepted.
Unless expressly stated otherwise, entry is free and no purchase is necessary.
- Eligible Work
Entrants must submit work that they are legally entitled to enter.
The entrant must:
• own the copyright or have clear permission from the copyright owner;
• have permission from models, subjects, collaborators and other relevant rights holders;
• provide accurate creative credits;
• ensure that every person depicted nude or in an adult context was aged 18 or over when the image was created; and
• ensure the entry does not infringe copyright, privacy, contractual or other legal rights.
The Atelier may request evidence of permission, authorship or an appropriate model release.
Entries must not contain unlawful, defamatory, discriminatory, exploitative or deliberately misleading material.
- Artificial Intelligence and Image Editing
Unless a particular competition expressly permits it, fully AI-generated images are not eligible.
Standard photographic editing, colour work and retouching are permitted unless the competition states otherwise. Generative AI must not be used to create or materially replace the people, clothing, location or principal visual elements within an entry.
Entrants must disclose any significant compositing or generative-AI use when submitting their work. Failure to disclose material digital alteration may result in disqualification.
- Originality and Previous Publication
Entries may have been displayed on portfolios or social media unless the individual competition requires previously unpublished work.
The entrant must disclose if an image has previously won a major award or is subject to an exclusive publication, licensing or competition agreement.
- Creative Credits
Where applicable, entrants should credit the photographer, model or muse, designer, makeup artist, hairstylist, stylist, studio, location and other principal collaborators.
Credits supplied by the entrant will be reproduced using the information provided. The Atelier is not responsible for spelling errors or omissions contained in submitted credits, although reasonable corrections will be made when identified.
- Judging
Entries will be judged using the criteria stated for the relevant competition. These may include:
• creativity and originality;
• interpretation of the brief;
• visual and emotional impact;
• composition and technical execution; and
• storytelling or sense of place.
Where judging involves subjective assessment, an independent judge or a panel containing at least one independent member will be appointed.
Judges must assess eligible entries fairly and must declare any significant conflict of interest. The names of judges will be published or made available upon request.
The judges’ decision is final, except where an administrative mistake, eligibility problem or breach of these terms is identified.
- Public Voting
Where a public or community vote forms part of an award, the voting method and its influence on the final decision will be explained in advance.
Entrants must not use automated voting, create false accounts, purchase votes, offer rewards in exchange for votes or otherwise manipulate the result.
The Atelier may remove suspicious or invalid votes and disqualify an entrant where there is reasonable evidence of manipulation.
Encouraging genuine supporters to vote is permitted unless the individual competition states otherwise.
- Winners and Prizes
The individual competition announcement will state the number and nature of the prizes.
Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered unless expressly stated. If an advertised prize becomes unavailable for reasons outside our reasonable control, a reasonable alternative of equal or greater value may be offered.
Winners will normally be contacted using the details supplied with their entry. If a winner does not respond within the period stated in the competition announcement, is found to be ineligible or cannot provide required permissions, the Atelier may select another winner.
Prizes will normally be awarded within 30 days of the winner being confirmed unless a different delivery date is clearly stated.
- Winner Announcements and Publicity
The Atelier may announce a winner’s name or professional name, their winning entry and relevant creative credits on its website, social channels, exhibition materials, publications and competition announcements.
Entrants will be told before entry what winner information is intended to be published. A winner may request that personal information is reduced or withheld where appropriate, although the Atelier may still provide information to a regulator if legally required.
Any participation in interviews, promotional photography or additional publicity will be discussed with the winner.
- Copyright and Permission to Display Entries
Copyright remains with the photographer or existing copyright owner.
By entering, the entrant grants the Atelier a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to reproduce and display the submitted work for purposes connected with:
• administering and judging the competition;
• announcing and celebrating entrants, finalists and winners;
• exhibitions, awards and editorial coverage;
• The Atelier of Muses website, magazine, archive and social channels; and
• promoting the current competition and future editions of the same competition.
Where reasonably possible, the supplied creative credits will accompany the image.
The Atelier will not sell an entrant’s image as merchandise, transfer its copyright or license it for an unrelated commercial campaign without obtaining separate permission.
- Disqualification
The Atelier may reject or disqualify an entry where there are reasonable grounds to believe that:
• these terms or the individual competition rules have been breached;
• information or credits are false or misleading;
• the entrant does not hold the necessary rights or permissions;
• votes have been manipulated;
• the work was generated or materially altered using prohibited AI;
• the entry creates a legal, welfare or safeguarding concern; or
• accepting the entry could unfairly disadvantage other participants.
Where practical, the entrant will be given an opportunity to clarify the situation before a final decision is made.
- Technical Problems
Entrants are responsible for allowing enough time to submit their work and for retaining copies of all files.
The Atelier is not responsible for an entry that is lost, corrupted, incomplete or delayed because of circumstances outside our reasonable control. Where a verified technical failure affects multiple entrants, we may extend or reopen submissions if doing so is fair to everyone.
- Changes or Cancellation
Closing dates and significant competition conditions will not be changed unless unavoidable circumstances make a change necessary and existing entrants are not unfairly disadvantaged.
If a competition cannot continue, entrants will be informed as soon as reasonably possible. Where an entry fee has been charged, refunds will be handled in accordance with the individual competition terms and applicable law.
Personal Information
Personal information will be used to administer entries, verify eligibility, contact entrants, announce results, deliver prizes and meet legal or regulatory obligations.
Information will be handled in accordance with the Atelier’s Privacy Policy. Entry into a competition does not automatically subscribe an entrant to general marketing communications.
- Entered Competitions and Atelier Awards
The Atelier also presents editorial, honorary and community recognition awards.
Awards including The Muse’s Muse and other awards selected by the Atelier, invited contributors or the Atelier community are not open-entry prize competitions unless specifically described as such.
The existence of an Atelier award does not create an automatic right to enter, be nominated, vote or receive a prize.
- Complaints
Questions or concerns about a competition should be sent to:
victoriah@theatelierofmuses.com
Please include the competition name, your name or professional name and a clear description of the issue.
- Governing Law
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Nothing in these terms affects any statutory rights that apply to an entrant.
The Atelier of Muses
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